


What is love? A rose, a sticker and a mark.

by Ewelyne



Series: What is love? [2]
Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Bold!Cai Xukun, Confessions, Crushes, Developing Relationship, Jealous!Chen Linong, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Man of action!Cai Xukun, Misunderstandings, NO ONE ASKED BUT I STILL DELIVERED, No Nongkun No Life, Nongkun is my religion, Oblivious!Chen Linong, The laser incident is mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 07:31:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14929899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ewelyne/pseuds/Ewelyne
Summary: Cai Xukun and Chen Linong want to put their own labels on their relationship but it's harder than it seems.





	What is love? A rose, a sticker and a mark.

_Unreachable_  - that's the first word that comes to Chen Linong's mind when he thinks of Cai Xukun. They have known each other for several months already and got closer as Nine Percent members but their positions in Linong's mind have never changed.  _Far ahead and always above_  - Cai Xukun has always been the brightest star in Linong's galaxy, yet he can only watch him and treasure him from afar.

 _Admiration_ , Linong ponders when Xukun flashes him a warm smile. Cai Xukun has all the qualities of a star - he's good at anything he tries, his aura attracts all the gazes in a room and people naturally gravitate towards him but first and foremost Xukun cares, he cares about everyone.  _That must be it,_ Linong tries to convince himself - he knows very well that feeling anything more than just that basically equals asking for trouble.  _Kunkun is our leader, that's why he takes care of me so well, he doesn't mean anything special,_ Linong reminds himself, partly hugging each other as Xukun suddenly reaches to Ziyi.  _Besides, he might already like Ziyi-ge,_  Linong thinks, feeling a stab in his heart and tears in his eyes. Fortunately for Linong, he has always been good at holding back his worries and denying sadness, so he does what he thinks it's for the best - he takes a deep breath, steps back and pretends like nothing happened. And Linong knows he'll do it again when the time like this will come - even when his hands might betray him in the process, when he'll initiate their skinship, he'll thinks of it as making sure that the star is real and that he isn't dreaming.  _Admiration sure it is._

 

* * *

 

 _U_ _npredictable_  - that's the first word that comes to Cai Xukun's mind when he thinks of Chen Linong. Eventhough he has observed the younger boy for quite some time, Cai Xukun still isn't able to predict what the younger boy will do - be it the shockingly cringey, yet ridiculously heart-fluttering "eat me" line to Nongtans or the fact that natural skinship comes very easy to Chen Linong.

 _That's not fair at all,_  Xukun whines inwardly, closing his eyes, when he recalls Linong's gentle  touch on his waist, leaving him breathless.  _And why I'm the only one suffering here,_ Xukun complains bitterly as the image of Yanjun closely hugging Linong lingers in his mind. Cai Xukun has never considered himself being a jealous person but ever since he met the younger boy, the possessive side has been overtaking his heart and soul, little by little, even to the point of being jealous of his own best friend. Seeing "Chen Linong likes Wang Ziyi" trending on weibo for whole two days, Cai Xukun's mood couldn't get worse - or he thought.

Watching Linong's last Douyin video that Ziyi sent him as a peace offering, Xukun's heart shatters - he's finally able to properly see the mark, left by the laser, on Linong's right hand.

 _"A laser? I_ _haven't even noticed there was something like that at all," Linong assures him, casually rolling his sleeves down, while Xukun panicks as he tries to check on everyone in the backstage. "But you need to get treated first. Right now! I saw you rubbing your eyes. You need to take care of yourself more!" Linong hurries him, guiding him out of the waiting room while pointing to the hallway where Chengcheng is being treated. "No excuses."_

Cai Xukun feels conflicted - he hates that side of Linong, the selflessness the younger boy holds for everyone but himself, but it's also one of the many reasons he fell in love with the younger boy in the first place. What started for Cai Xukun as mere curiosity about their opposite images, quickly developped into strong physical attraction and eventually ended up being something far more complicated than Xukun could ever expect - butterflies in his stomach and sleepless nights spent by thinking about the younger boy as well as merciless thorns piercing through his heart, especially when he later found out from Weibo that Linong has been a victim of the laser incident too.

Not having the opportunity to confront the younger boy about his lie before the members left for Keep Running, Cai Xukun wants to set all the things straight as soon as possible, before his feelings for Linong would destroy him. Cai Xukun has never felt any distance between him and Linong, but now he's painfully aware - the lie is unbearable. Cai Xukun has never been the one who could endure secrets and lies but having them tamed his and Linong's relationship, Xukun is determined to clear everything up. He wants a real and honest relationship with the younger boy and the only way to achieve that is to confess everything. Cai Xukun doesn't know what Chen Linong feels or thinks about him but Xukun wants him to know that he himself matters the most - be it his health, his thoughts and opinions or the fact that only his presence can make Cai Xukun's heart flutter.

 

* * *

 

Three hours before his meeting with Linong, Cai Xukun asks his manager to stop by a flower shop. His manager only raises his eyebrows - they are on the way to the dormitory and he's sure nobody has a birthday today - before he reluctantly lets him go to the nearest flower shop alone.

The flower shop is way bigger than it seemed from the outside - Cai Xukun is stunned when he sees long lines of various colors, reminding him the garden his mother used to take care of. Going further, Xukun notices occasional shelves with tiny objects, all love-themed.

"How can I help you, young sir?"

Despite having a big cap, a black mask and sunglasses, Xukun is worried that the florist might recognize him but fortunately it seems that she doesn't have any interest in that.

"A red rose please."

"Just one?"

Cai Xukun has been pondering about this issue the whole night before - he could buy him 99 roses, implying that he watched his Douyin video and that his interest him is real but at the same he doesn't want to scare the boy away.

"Just one," Xukun eventually says, hoping Chen Linong would get the meaning behind it - the younger boy is the only one for him.

Waiting for the florist to get the rose, Xukun roughly skims through tiny objects displayed on the counter when he suddenly notices a cute set of adorable stickers, including a big "MY BOYFRIEND" one and it finally hits him.  _What if the things won't go my way? Will he just dismiss my worries about our relationship? Will I even be able to confess? What should I even say when the time will come? Will he even be able to understand me? What if he doesn't feel the same I do..._

 

* * *

 

Chen Linong has always been the nervous type but this was way beyond his imagination. When Xukun called him after the shooting of Keep Running - their first call ever, they only texted before that - his hands were shaking so much that he almost dropped his phone and ultimately he did when Xukun asked him to meet each other in private. They quickly agreed on their dormitory since all the other members were supposed to be out, doing the activities arranged by their companies, before the nervosity got the best out of Linong and he accidently hung up on Xukun.

Not knowing why Xukun wanted to meet him, his head began to be filled with various scenarios - some more possible than others - and two hours before their meeting Linong's mind finally settles on one.  _He wants me to help him with Ziyi,_ Linong concludes, remembering the awkward so-called hug. Ignoring the sharp pain in his heart, Linong actually feels a bit calmer now - but in reality it's just emptiness. When the last hopes are crushed, there is nothing left to lose.

 

* * *

 

Cai Xukun has been nervously standing in front of their dormitory for almost fifteen minutes. It feels like the ranking evalution all over again, his mind is going blank and his limbs feel numb but Cai Xukun is a performer - he hopes that once he'll get to the crucial point, he'll get through it like he always does.

 

* * *

 

Chen Linong is confused and heart-broken at the same time. He sees Cai Xukun in his full glory - a perfectly fitted black suit highlighting his slender figure, his loose tie making him looking all nonchalant but still gentleman-like. Xukun looks like he's ready for an award ceremony, unlike Linong who decided to keep everything casual and chose his favorite checkered shirt and ripped jeans. Their difference feels now even more like Heaven and Earth and Linong realizes that he was very foolish to even dream about him and Xukun being on the same level one day.  _Wow, he really wants to confess to Ziyi today..._ \- Linong thinks, noticing Xukun hiding something behind his back.  _A gift for Ziyi for sure..._

 

* * *

 

"Don't you wanna ask me why I dressed up today?" Xukun asks after stepping into the dormitory, only to immediately facepalm himself, hearing how it really sounds coming from his mouth.

"To confess."

Linong's reply disarms Xukun completely - he didn't know he was that obvious or Linong was that bold.

"Oh, good then I guess," Xukun says, finally pulling out the rose he has been hiding the whole time. "Because I really need to say some-"

"Ziyi-ge should be back in a hour, if you want to prepare a surprise, you should hurry up. Don't worry, I'll help you," Linong interrupts him, not really in the mood to talk more than necessary - he quickly gets up from the sofa and heads to the kitchen to find a vase for the rose.

"Wait," Xukun blurts out, swiftly gripping the younger boy's right wrist. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The time seems to freeze - both of them don't  move at all, totally confused, and Xukun can clearly hear their unstable breathing through the heavy silence. It's when Xukun finally realizes how close their faces are, he feels a strong urge to do something - so he rolls up Linong's sleeve and lets his fingers gently trace the laser mark.

"Why didn't you tell me when I first asked?" Xukun softly whispers, pain dripping from his voice. "Don't hide anything from me."

Linong is at a loss for words - all these unexpected words and intimate gestures make him dizzy. He momentarily loses his balance but fortunately Xukun is there to catch him. Xukun's embrace feels so familiar but weird at the same time - they have hugged before but this time Linong's heart is beating two times faster. Despite Linong being the taller one, it feels like it's the older boy who protects him while Linong is the one who lets himself to be protected.

"You want to confess to Ziyi-ge," Linong says after a while and rather than a fact, it sounds like an empty statement.

Now Xukun is the one who's at a loss for words.  _Is this what's all about? He thinks I like Ziyi?_  Initially, Xukun thought a simple "I love you" would be enough but seeing the younger not having the slightest idea what's actually happening, Xukun decides to use his secret weapon he  originally wanted to pull out after sorting out their feelings.

"I want this," Xukun declares, pulling the set of stickers out of his pocket and sticking the "MY BOYFRIEND" one on the laser mark on Linong's right forearm.  _If said words can't be understood, hopefully the written ones can._ "Do you understand?"

 _Kunkun, MY BOYFRIEND on my forearm..._ \- Linong's head tries to process it all but it's happening too fast and too unexpectedly. Seeing Linong still not moving at all, Xukun has no other option but to go all out to make him finally understand - he steps back and pulls Linong with him, both of them falling on the sofa. Both entangled, their lips are only inches apart but Cai Xukun doesn't stop there - he only knows the way forward and he's too far to go back anyway.

When their lips first meet, Linong blushes hard - their opposite worlds are finally colliding and at that moment Linong doesn't feel their gap at all. Xukun doesn't want to scare the younger boy away, so he tries to control himself - the sweet and gentle demeanor of Xukun's lips is so different from what Xukun has dreamed about but at the same time it feels right, like he can burst any minute from the love and excitement filling his heart.

Like a midsummer night's dream, the first kiss lasts only a few seconds but after not sensing any resistance from the younger boy at all, Xukun quickly claims Linong's lips once again, hungrily deepening their kiss. It takes one and half kiss for Linong to return the action and Xukun couldn't be happier - a loud moan involuntarily escapes his lips as he feels Linong's hands wrapping around his waist and pulling him closer.

With every other kiss, Xukun only gets greedier.  _Cai Xukun is a biter_ \- Linong realizes when Xukun's way of intiating their third kiss catches him off guard. Nibbling on Linong's bottom lip, Xukun manages to part them wide enough to use the moment of surprise and push his tongue against Linong's. Linong doesn't have much air left but he still tries his best to match Xukun's pace - their tongues are chaotically mingling in a heated dance until Linong forcefully pulls away to catch his breath. Despite that, Xukun doesn't stop at all - he passionately presses his kisses on the younger boy's jawline.

"I. Love. You. Chen. Linong, " Xukun sweetly whispers in between kisses, trailing them down to Linong's collarbone. "No. Lies. Or. Pretense. Anymore. Do. You. Understand?"

Chen Linong is a panting mess but somehow still manages to slightly nod in agreement. However, Cai Xukun isn't satisfied yet - he wants a physical evidence of their promise, so he chooses the spot where he thinks Linong responded the most to his kisses, and he bites. Both of them are fully aware that this will become a big problem later, especially for their make-up artist, but neither of them cares - this time, Linong becomes a moaning mess when Xukun sucks a little and then licks it before eventually placing a gentle kiss on the now newly red spot.

"In case you'll lose your sticker," Cai Xukun explains with a cheeky grin, only making Linong to roll his eyes at him. "My boyfriend."

**Author's Note:**

> The reason I reposted my 2 fics (those will still be edited later when I can save some time for that) is because they were written before the reality show so if something does not adds up, you will know why (also trying to improve the number of nongkun fics here because it is tragic). I'll start to write again at the end of this month or next month, meanwhile wish me luck, 3 more exams left.


End file.
